Plunge-bucket well-digger.



G. L. MURRAY & A. W. GREELMAN.

PLUNGE BUCKET WELL BIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.. 3, 1911.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

W ,y mw W m u UNITED vSTATES P ATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. MURRAY V.AND ASHMORE W. CREELMAN, F BIG SANDY, MONTANA.

PLUNGE-BUCKET WELL-BIGGER.

`Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application led March 3, 1911. SeriaI No. 612,132.

k have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plunge-BucketWellDiggers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to plunge bucket well diggers.

Our object is the provision of a simple, strong and durable well diggingtool which may be easily operated by hand and will rapidly work its waydownward even in stiiil clays.

The invention consists of a cylindrical,

. tubular member provided at its lower end with a circular cleavingedge, a wooden bushing secured within the tubular memberabovelthe=cleaving edge, and a iap valve, combined in the mannerhereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a vertical section, the samebeing broken away; and Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

The body of the tool 1 is tubular and of suitable length and diameter,having its lower endsharpened to provide the annular edge or knife 2,above which is an internal fillei, preferably ablock of wood, 3 having aconical interior 4, the lower end 5 of the filler terminating a shortdistance, preferf ably less than an inch, short of the lower or cuttingedge 2. The body 1 constitutes a bucket or chamber 6 above the filler 3and f there is provided a suitable valve 7 adapted to open upwardly intosaid bhamber and to close the upper open end 8l of the conical bore ofthe filler 3. In thelupper part of the body 1 is a coupling 9which hasexternal screw-threads by which it'. is connected 'at 10 to the saidbody, and has internalscrew-threads 11 with which engage screw- Ythreadson 4'a pipe 12 of suitable length The Ahole having been started in theground, water is run into the said hole and finds its Way to the cuttingedge 2 at the bottom. The digger is then raised a suitable distance, saya foot or so, and dropped;y

whereupon the cutting edge 2 sinks into the soil which has been softenedby the water and a core of soil, gravel, sand or Clav which is cut bythe edge 2 passes up into the conical interior 4. Upon raising thedigger, the previously cut core loosens and f-alls, chieiiy by suction.Upon again dropping the dig' ger, the previously cut core, mingled with,and more or less softened and disintegrated by the water, is forced upthrough the end 8 past the valve 7 which opens to permit the assagethereof, and flows into the containlug chamber or bucket 6. Upon againlifting the digger, the weight of the material in the bucket 6 causesthe valve 7 to close. Successive reciprocations continue to cause coresto be cut and disintegrated and forced up into the'bucket 6 and pipe 12until the latter is suitably filled to its to whereupon the tool ishoisted to the surface and emptied. Any overflowing water passes upthrough the tubular stem 12 and out over the outer end thereof and backinto the well.

We have found in practice that with a body or barrel 1 of say fourinches in diameter and about a foot in length and a stem 12 of abouteight feet in length and two inches in diameter, an able-bodied manworking the n device by hand, can cut down through stiff clay at therate of aboutl ten feet an hour.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letr ters Patent, is

GEORGE L. MURRAY. ASHMORE W. CREELMAN.

Witnesses: l ALEX. S. CHRISTIE, ANDREW ELDEPHAN.

